Skip to content
Scan a barcode
Scan
Added to your cart
Paperback Ordinary People Book

ISBN: 0140065172

ISBN13: 9780140065176

Ordinary People

Select Format

Select Condition ThriftBooks Help Icon

Recommended

Format: Paperback

Condition: Good

$5.79
Save $12.20!
List Price $17.99
Almost Gone, Only 2 Left!

Book Overview

One of the great bestseller of our time: the novel that inspired Robert Redford's Oscar-winning film starring Donald Sutherland and Mary Tyler Moore

In Ordinary People, Judith Guest's remarkable first novel, the Jarrets are a typical American family. Calvin is a determined, successful provider and Beth an organized, efficient wife. They had two sons, Conrad and Buck, but now they have one. In this memorable, moving novel, Judith Guest takes the reader into their lives to share their misunderstandings, pain, and ultimate healing. Ordinary People is an extraordinary novel about an "ordinary" family divided by pain, yet bound by their struggle to heal.

"Admirable...touching...full of the anxiety, despair, and joy that is common to every human experience of suffering and growth." -The New York Times

"Rejoice! A novel for all ages and all seasons." -The Washington Post Book World

Customer Reviews

22 customer ratings | 5 reviews

Rated 5 stars
At a loss for words

I read this after seeing the movie, yet it only enhanced every rewatch of the movie that came after. I am not exaggerating when I say that there was a line or sentence on every page that I felt with every fiber of my being. This book is one I recommend to everyone I know. It's beautifully written, it's poetic, and above all, it's honest. Whoever sees this and has been considering reading this book (and/or watching the movie),...

0Report

Rated 5 stars
Not an ordinary book at all.

This book was by far the best book I have read in a long time. It's short in pages, but very long in thoughtful wisdom. The story is about a boy who's lost his brother in a boating accident, of which he was part of. When he tries to commit suicide, feeling guilty about his brother's death, this story takes a twist you could not have expected. His parents, himself, his grandparents turn into anything but Ordinary People, and...

0Report

Rated 5 stars
The Price of Perfection

The Jarretts are the perfect family leading a perfect life in a perfect world: wealthy, respectable, an expensive house in an exclusive neighborhood, European vacations, Texas golf trips. But perfection comes at a price, and when older son Buck dies in a boating accident and surviving son Conrad attempts suicide the difference between the American dream and American reality becomes painfully apparent. The mask of perfection...

0Report

Rated 5 stars
the shock of recognition

Ms Guest tells the story, which the movie faithfully followed, of an upper middle class family in suburban Chicago. Calvin Jarrett is a successful tax attorney and his wife Beth is the queen of the country club crowd, but their son Conrad has just returned home from a sanitarium after slashing his wrists following the death of his beloved older brother. As Conrad tries to readjust to school, friends, a new psychiatrist...

0Report

Rated 5 stars
Maturation and Initiation

"Ordinary People" by Judith Guest, is a wonderful novel about maturation and initiation into the "real world". After attempting suscide over the loss of his brother, Conrad Jarrett, is struggling to retain his life. Growing up, Conrad never really got in trouble. His older brother, Buck, was always being taught the "lessons of life". This made loosing a loved one, even harder for Conrad to deal with. After being released...

0Report

The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark Mentions in Our Blog

The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark in What to Give Kids (and Adults) Based on Their Favorite Disney Movie
What to Give Kids (and Adults) Based on Their Favorite Disney Movie
Published by Ashly Moore Sheldon • December 08, 2024

Over the years, Disney films have evolved from the hand-drawn works of art that broke new ground as the first-ever animated feature films to the hilarious Pixar collaborations that have been wowing kids and adults alike over the last several decades. Read on to find gifts for kids of all ages based on their favorite Disney movies.

The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark in What to Read After Percival Everett's 'James'
What to Read After Percival Everett's 'James'
Published by Ashly Moore Sheldon • June 25, 2024

Told from the point of view of the enslaved Jim, Percival Everett's latest novel, James, is a brilliant, action-packed retelling of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. If you enjoy stories that reimagine, reframe, or pay homage to classic texts, here are fifteen more titles for you.

The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark in How Many Best Pictures Were Based on a Book?
How Many Best Pictures Were Based on a Book?
Published by Amanda Cleveland • March 21, 2024
With Oppenheimer's recent Oscars win, we had a question: How many Best Picture winners were based on a book? Countless classic films are adaptations, as if a great story tends to start in literature. Let's look at the numbers and the amazing books that have lead to great films.
The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark in Oppenheimer Reading List
Oppenheimer Reading List
Published by Ashly Moore Sheldon • July 27, 2023

Featuring a glittering, star-studded cast, Christopher Nolan's brilliant new film charts the turbulent life of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the theoretical physicist who played a significant role in developing the first atomic bombs. If you enjoyed the movie, here's your chance to learn more about this fascinating chapter from history.

The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark in Broadway Books
Broadway Books
Published by Ashly Moore Sheldon • May 30, 2023

The 2023 Tony Awards are coming up in just a few weeks! To get ready, we have put together a reading list of sorts. With behind-the-scenes reporting, Broadway history, and some of the nominated plays themselves, these titles cover a lot of ground with books perfect for new theater fans and seasoned experts.

Copyright © 2025 Thriftbooks.com Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information | Cookie Policy | Cookie Preferences | Accessibility Statement
ThriftBooks ® and the ThriftBooks ® logo are registered trademarks of Thrift Books Global, LLC
GoDaddy Verified and Secured